Introduction

Standard:
Traffic control devices shall be defined as all signs, signals,
markings, and other devices used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic,
placed on, over, or adjacent to a street, highway, pedestrian facility,
or bikeway by authority of a public agency having jurisdiction.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) is incorporated by reference in 23 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), Part 655, Subpart F and shall be recognized as the national
standard for all traffic control devices installed on any street,
highway, or bicycle trail open to public travel in accordance with
23 U.S.C. 109(d) and 402(a). The policies and procedures of the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to obtain basic uniformity
of traffic control devices shall be as described in 23 CFR 655,
Subpart F.

Any traffic control device design or application
provision contained in this Manual shall be considered to be in
the public domain. Traffic control devices contained in this Manual
shall not be protected by a patent, trademark, or copyright, except
for the Interstate Shield and any other items owned by FHWA.

Support:
The need for uniform standards was recognized long ago. The American
Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO), now known as the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO), published a manual for rural highways in 1927, and the
National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS) published
a manual for urban streets in 1930. In the early years, the necessity
for unification of the standards applicable to the different classes
of road and street systems was obvious. To meet this need, a joint
committee of AASHO and NCSHS developed and published the original
edition of this Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
in 1935. That committee, now called the National Committee on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD), though changed from time to time
in name, organization, and personnel, has been in continuous existence
and has contributed to periodic revisions of this Manual. The FHWA
has administered the MUTCD since the 1971 edition. The FHWA and
its predecessor organizations have participated in the development
and publishing of the previous editions. There were eight previous
editions of the MUTCD, and several of those editions were revised
one or more times. Table I-1 traces the evolution of the MUTCD,
including the two manuals developed by AASHO and NCSHS.

Standard:
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, under authority granted by
the Highway Safety Act of 1966, decreed that traffic control devices
on all streets and highways open to public travel in accordance
with 23 U.S.C. 109(d) and 402(a) in each State shall be in substantial
conformance with the Standards issued or endorsed by the FHWA.

Table I-1. Evolution of the MUTCD

Year

Name

Month / Year
Revised

1927

Manual and Specifications for the
Manufacture, Display, and Erection of U.S. Standard Road
Markers and Signs (for rural roads)

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD)

2/39

1942

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways — War Emergency Edition

No revisions

1948

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways

9/54

1961

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways

No revisions

1971

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways

11/71, 4/72,
3/73, 10/73, 6/74, 6/75, 9/76, 12/77

1978

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways

12/79, 12/83,
9/84, 3/86

1988

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways

1/90, 3/92, 9/93,
11/94, 12/96, 6/98, 1/00

2000

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways — Millennium Edition

7/02

2003

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways

Support:
23 CFR 655.603 adopts the MUTCD as the national standard for any
street, highway, or bicycle trail open to public travel in accordance
with 23 U.S.C. 109(d) and 402(a). The "Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC)"
is one of the publications referenced in the MUTCD. The UVC contains
a model set of motor vehicle codes and traffic laws for use throughout
the United States. The States are encouraged to adopt Section 15-116
of the UVC, which states that, "No person shall install or maintain
in any area of private property used by the public any sign, signal,
marking, or other device intended to regulate, warn, or guide traffic
unless it conforms with the State manual and specifications adopted
under Section 15-104."

The Standard, Guidance, Option, and Support material
described in this edition of the MUTCD provide the transportation
professional with the information needed to make appropriate decisions
regarding the use of traffic control devices on streets and highways.
The material in this edition is organized to better differentiate
between Standards that must be satisfied for the particular circumstances
of a situation, Guidances that should be followed for the particular
circumstances of a situation, and Options that may be applicable
for the particular circumstances of a situation.

Throughout this Manual the headings Standard, Guidance,
Option, and Support are used to classify the nature of the text
that follows. Figures, tables, and illustrations supplement the
text and might constitute a Standard, Guidance, Option, or Support.
The user needs to refer to the appropriate text to classify the
nature of the figure, table, or illustration.

Standard:
When used in this Manual, the text headings shall be defined as
follows:

Standard—a statement of required, mandatory,
or specifically prohibitive practice regarding a traffic control
device. All standards are labeled, and the text appears in bold
type. The verb shall is typically used. Standards are sometimes
modified by Options.

Guidance—a statement of recommended,
but not mandatory, practice in typical situations, with deviations
allowed if engineering judgment or engineering study indicates
the deviation to be appropriate. All Guidance statements are labeled,
and the text appears in unbold type. The verb should is typically
used. Guidance statements are sometimes modified by Options.

Option—a statement of practice that is
a permissive condition and carries no requirement or recommendation.
Options may contain allowable modifications to a Standard or Guidance.
All Option statements are labeled, and the text appears in unbold
type. The verb may is typically used.

Support—an informational statement that
does not convey any degree of mandate, recommendation, authorization,
prohibition, or enforceable condition. Support statements are
labeled, and the text appears in unbold type. The verbs shall,
should, and may are not used in Support statements.

Support:
Throughout this Manual all dimensions and distances are provided
in the International System of Units, a modernized version of the
Metric system, and their English equivalent units are shown in parentheses.

Guidance:
Before laying out distances or determining sign sizes, the public
agency should decide whether to use the International System of
Units (Metric) or the English equivalent units. The chosen units
should be specified on plan drawings. The chosen unit of measurement
should be made known to those responsible for designing, installing,
or maintaining traffic control devices.

Except when a specific numeral is required by
the text of a Section of this Manual, numerals shown on the sign
images in the figures that specify quantities such as times, distances,
speed limits, and weights should be regarded as examples only. When
installing any of these signs, the numerals should be appropriately
altered to fit the specific signing situation.

Support:
The following information will be useful when reference is being
made to a specific portion of text in this Manual.

There are ten Parts in this Manual and each Part
is comprised of one or more Chapters. Each Chapter is comprised
of one or more Sections. Parts are given a numerical identification,
such as Part 2-Signs. Chapters are identified by the Part number
and a letter, such as Chapter 2B-Regulatory Signs. Sections are
identified by the Chapter number and letter followed by a decimal
point and a number, such as Section 2B.03-Size of Regulatory Signs.

Each Section is comprised of one or more paragraphs.
The paragraphs are indented but are not identified by a number or
letter. Paragraphs are counted from the beginning of each Section
without regard to the intervening text headings (Standard, Guidance,
Option, or Support). Some paragraphs have lettered or numbered items.
As an example of how to cite this Manual, the phrase "Not less than
12 m (40 ft) beyond the stop line" that appears on Page 4D-12 of
this Manual would be referenced in writing as "Section 4D.15, P7,
D1(a)," and would be verbally referenced as "Item D1(a) of Paragraph
7 of Section 4D.15."

Standard:
In accordance with 23 CFR 655.603(b)(1), States or other Federal
agencies that have their own MUTCDs or Supplements shall revise
these MUTCDs or Supplements to be in substantial conformance with
changes to the National MUTCD within 2 years of issuance of the
changes. Unless a particular device is no longer serviceable, non-compliant
devices on existing highways and bikeways shall be brought into
compliance with the current edition of the National MUTCD as part
of the systematic upgrading of substandard traffic control devices
(and installation of new required traffic control devices) required
pursuant to the Highway Safety Program, 23 U.S.C. § 402(a).
In cases involving Federal-aid projects for new highway or bikeway
construction or reconstruction, the traffic control devices installed
(temporary or permanent) shall be in conformance with the most recent
edition of the National MUTCD before that highway is opened or re-opened
to the public for unrestricted travel [23 CFR 655.603(d)(2)]. The
FHWA has the authority to establish other target compliance dates
for implementation of particular changes to the MUTCD [23 CFR 655.603(d)(4)].
These target compliance dates established by the FHWA shall be as
follows:

Section 2C.04 Size of Warning Signs—sizes
of W1 Series Arrows signs, W7 Series truck runaway signs, W12-2p
low clearance signs, and W10-1 advance grade crossing sign—10
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.11 Truck Rollover Warning Signs (W1-13,
W1-13a)—new section—10 years from the effective date
of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.16 NARROW BRIDGE Sign (W5-2)—elimination
of symbol sign—10 years from the effective date of the Final
Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.30 Speed Reduction Signs (W3-5, W3-5a)—removal
of R2-5 Series Reduced Speed Ahead signs and use of W3-5 or W3-5a
warning signs instead—15 years from the effective date of
the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.31 Merge Signs (W4-1, W4-5)—Entering
Roadway Merge sign (W4-1a)—10 years from the effective date
of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.32 Added Lane Signs (W4-3, W4-6)—Entering
Roadway Added Lane sign (W4-3a)—10 years from the effective
date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.33 Lane Ends Signs (W4-2, W9-1, W9-2)—new
design of W4-2 sign—10 years from the effective date of the
Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.34 Two-Way Traffic Sign (W6-3)—transition
from one-way street—5 years from the effective date of the
Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2C.37 Intersection Warning Signs (W2-1
through W2-6)—new design of Circular Intersection (W2-6) sign—10
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2D.38 Street Name Sign (D3-1)—letter
sizes on ground-mounted signs on multi-lane streets with speed limits
greater than 60 km/h (40 mph) and letter sizes on overhead-mounted
signs—15 years from the effective date of the Final Rule for
the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2D.39 Advance Street Name Signs (D3-2)—new
section in 2000 MUTCD and revisions in 2003 MUTCD—15 years
from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2D.45 General Service Signs (D9 Series)—Traveler
Info Call 511 (D12-5) sign, Channel 9 Monitored (D12-3) sign—10
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 2D.46 Reference Location Signs (D10-1
through D10-3) and Intermediate Reference Location Signs (D10-1a
through D10-3a)—location and spacing of Reference Location
signs and design of Intermediate Reference Location signs—10
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 3B.03 Other Yellow Longitudinal Pavement
Markings—spacing requirements for pavement marking arrows
in two-way left-turn lanes—5 years from the effective date
of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 3B.17 Crosswalk Markings—gap between
transverse lines of a crosswalk—10 years from the effective
date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 3B.19 Pavement Word and Symbol Markings—typical
spacing of lane-use arrows in two-way left-turn lanes shown in Figure
3B-7—5 years from the effective date of the Final Rule for
the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 3C.01 Object Marker Design and Placement
Height—width of stripes on Type 3 striped marker—10
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 4D.01 General—location of signalized
midblock crosswalks—10 years from the effective date of the
Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 4D.05 Application of Steady Signal Indications—Item
B.4 in STANDARD—5 years from the effective date of the Final
Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 4D.12 Flashing Operation of Traffic Control
Signals—duration of steady red clearance interval in change
from red-red flashing mode to steady (stop-and-go) mode—10
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 4E.07 Countdown Pedestrian Signals—new
section—10 years from the effective date of the Final Rule
for the 2003 MUTCD for countdown pedestrian signal hardware; 3 years
from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD for
operational requirements of countdown pedestrian signals.

Section 4E.10 Pedestrian Intervals and Signal
Phases—pedestrian clearance time sufficient to travel to far
side of the traveled way—5 years from the effective date of
the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 5C.05 NARROW BRIDGE Sign (W5-2)—elimination
of symbol sign—10 years from the effective date of the Final
Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 6D.01 Pedestrian Considerations—all
new provisions for pedestrian accessibility—5 years from the
effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 6D.02 Accessibility Considerations—5
years from the effective date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 6D.03 Worker Safety Considerations—high-visibility
apparel requirements—3 years from the effective date of the
Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 6E.02 High-Visibility Safety Apparel—high-visibility
apparel requirements for flaggers—3 years from the effective
date of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 7B.12 Reduced Speed School Zone Ahead
Sign (S4-5, S4-5a)—15 years from the effective date of the
Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Section 7E.04 Uniform of Adult Crossing Guards
and Student Patrols—requirement for high-visibility apparel
for adult crossing guards—5 years from the effective date
of the Final Rule for the 2003 MUTCD.

Option:
In order for maintenance personnel to understand what to do when
replacing a damaged non-compliant traffic control device, agencies
may establish a policy regarding whether to replace the device in
kind or to replace it with a compliant device.

Support:
Often it is desirable to upgrade to a compliant device at the time
of this maintenance of a damaged device. However, it might be appropriate
to replace the damaged non-compliant device in kind at the time
of this maintenance activity if engineering judgment indicates that

One compliant device in the midst of a series of adjacent non-compliant
devices could potentially be confusing to road users; and/or

The anticipated schedule for replacement of the whole series of
non-compliant devices will result in achieving timely compliance with
the MUTCD.